A flurry of activity after yesterdays
blog was sent. I cut the skippers hair and beard and if I’m honest, one or two
waves made for some ‘equalling up’ – oops. Steady with
the bare blade there Mrs. Keep very still. Okaaaay. Final result is passable and it does grow
quickly............. Thank goodness for that, I don’t
feel the need to look though. Next was showers and begin the tidy up
ready to welcome officials on the morrow. Then I was successful on the
backgammon board and finished both front pieces of my cardy. I began the border
panel, first measurement an inch too long, take off an inch, re-measure still an
inch too long, take off another inch and voila.........an inch too short. Mmmm.
I’ll stay so quiet you won’t know I’m here. In fact I’ll
put another couple of diesel cans in the tank. You do that
then.......

Last but one
turn before Ngau Island.

Selene was
so bright she had her own flare.

Bear had a
peaceful start to his day.

I had a smashing two till six and had
just shifted down in scale - always exciting, as the
skipper came on duty.

Love the name North Save a Tack Passage.

Just before I went to bed a rare look
at the fading moon, just after this she drops like a
stone.

Bear took his final sunrise of this journey at a quarter past six. Funny to
think the moonset above was soft blues and greys out to our left and the
sunrise, all reds and oranges out to the right.

Bear enjoyed the
still of the morning, nary a ripple affected my deep sleep as the
coastline of Southern Vanua Levu took shape. Oh did I mention I was soundo. The
captain appeared an hour early with the promise of lovely scenery I ought not to miss. Obliging my Lord and Master I
fumbled through cleaning my teeth and washing. Out I went into the blue morning.
To say the vista changed not a jot in the hour I should have been catching
Zzzz’s.................

To our
right the Jean Michel Cousteau Resort.

Behind us Beez
leaves a faint track.

We swept right and there we could see
the town dock of Savusavu.

Colour me happy – coconut trees. I remember clearly waking up as we
approached – oh did I just type ‘waking up’ or was that a skipper calling me two
hours early........ when we were nearing the Gambiers and my wish for scantily
clad Pacific Island men and ladies in grass skirts. The shock of all those
Christmas trees and the need for a thick jumper have haunted me. This morning I
was thrilled, heat, blues, ........ and coconut trees.

The skipper getting
ready to drop the main sail

Passing the
Captain Cook Cruiser, the ferry that leaves twice a week for an
overnighter to Savu Island.

Looking back out the way we had just
come along Nakama Creek.

Nice to see away down the Creek, our first ‘One Careful Owner’

We radioed ahead to the Copra Shed. A
polite lady welcomed us to Savusavu and did a few pre-dock formalities. We had
expected her to give us a buoy number and arrange for ‘the officials’ to be
brought to us. Things have changed in the last few days and a tiny Quarantine
jetty has been put into action. We would dock at ten thirty and we were promised
‘check-in’ within an hour of being helped by Pio with lines.

The tiny yellow ‘Q’ flag was all we had as a guide and I was aware that a
heavy pulse in forward gear would have the Beez anchor take out the back of the
lady parked at right angles. Later we would be told that a sixty foot catamaran
had to abort trying to tether to the twenty five foot long jetty. Within the
hour the first two officials arrived – Health. AS I was pouring them a glass of
lemonade each another pair of feet came into view, Quarantine, followed by his
colleague Sam – wearing the traditional sulu, a wrap-around skirt that covers
the knees, a no-no here is to bare ones knees. I noted a useful side pocket and
money pocket to the front. First on our to-do list is to track one of these
items of clothes for Bear. Sam and his friend shared their glass of lemonade. I
looked out into the cockpit and saw Bears feet and ten more, the original two
glasses were being passed from lips to lips in a perfectly natural way. Aaaahhh
the land of kava, another experience on the to-do list. Beez was given a clean
bill of health, I had to fill in forms to say my dairy, veg and freezer
contained nothing other than products from New Zealand, I had to show my
captains mayonnaise to check the label as OK and after a quick rifle in the
fridge and freezer that was that. I

showed the chaps Beds to see what
Fijian was for Bear and was disappointed to be told they didn’t have a word for
such a creature other than Bear. Big Bear will then be known here as Levu Bear.

Bula we know as Hello and Vinaka is
Thank You. However Goodbye - Moce mada. (Mo-they manda) is going to take
a bit of practise as is Fakiaksia hanisit – thank you for your kindness. Whilst
we will take a keen interest in this Rotuman language, we may not get past a few
words. I think we can forget trying la’ma ne’ne’ae – goodbye and go and be well
but we will use Alalum – Blessings.

Bear meanwhile was dealing with a
myriad of forms and eventually he handed over three hundred Fijian dollars or
ninety four pounds and fifty six pence, to the various authorities and he was
left with just two ladies. These were the lovely, patient – not the last time we
would think those words today, Immigration Officers. One played some local music
as Bear and I filled in a form each. Result, a Stamp in our
Passport for four months. We could take down our yellow flag, put our
rubbish in the bin and sign in with the marina. Our
first steps ashore were easy after our calm entry and the floor was strangely
still. Marvellous.

Our hostess gave us a massive smile and
signed us in to her massive ledger. We handed over our clearance paper that she
promptly faxed for our Cruising Permit, due around Tuesday we were told. We
handed over a ten dollar deposit to use the facilities and were handed a
complimentary membership of the Yacht Club and then for our tour. Our guide told
us there were no buoys available just now, but if we didn’t mind going on a
finger berth one would come up in a day or two. A buoy for week is twenty eight
pounds and thirty seven pence or the berth is thirty seven pounds and eighty two
pence. Well, we feel somewhat celebratory and may splash out and stay on the
dock. Electricity is a pound a day and if Bear wants to totally bath the girl
it’s another one pound fifty....otherwise water is
free.

The main building houses a bar and
restaurant, a tour shop – complete with hire cars starting at ninety pounds for
three days, outboard and repair unit, grockle shop and ceramic gift outlet. We
noticed three course lunch ‘on the posh side’ of the Club was six pounds.
Outside, a grassy area to sit, the shower block with attached laundry - where it
is done by a lady and handed back, neatly folded, for four pounds a big [levu]
bag. Bargain. I walked across the grass to the bins and colour me happy for the
second time today, a big hole in the middle of the beautifully manicured lawn –
a crab hole...... Our welcome to Fiji was complete.